I attended a private screening of Tomorrowland Movie and interviewed Raffey Cassidy. The movie will be released in theaters nationwide today, May 22. The movie is about optimism and the future, Tomorrowland. In the movie, the premise that the futuristic city of Tomorrowland could actually exist pays homage to Walt Disney’s vision. The characters of the movie obtain a pin to jump-start their quest for Tomorrowland and use their courage, hope and determination to make a difference.

The movie provides a powerful and optimistic view into the future. It will have you thinking about the way you think about the future and the role you play in the outcome future. You will be entertained, but you will also have something to talk about.

“Tomorrowland” features a screenplay by “Lost” writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen, and also stars Hugh Laurie.

When the concept of “Tomorrowland” was just percolating in writer/producer Damon Lindelof’s mind, Sean Bailey, president of production at Disney told him about a box that had been discovered in a closet at the studio. The “mystery box” contained all sorts of fascinating models and blueprints, photographs and letters seemingly related to the inception of Tomorrowland and the 1964 World’s Fair.

Lindelof imagined that these findings were a guide to a secret story that nobody knew about; a place called Tomorrowland.

FUN facts

For the props department, creating props for the different time periods of the film—1964, 1984 and 2014—was a challenge. There are different influences and materials that affect the manufacture and design of the props for each era, so every prop needed to be carefully researched and analyzed to make sure the technology and materials they planned to use existed in the time period. Then the filmmakers had to try and find the real parts to make things authentic.

Designed by illustrator Tim Flattery of “Men in Black” fame, the plasma ray guns used in the comic-book store scene feature interactive light that spills out into the environment, adding to their air of authenticity. The guns were built with a very small but powerful wireless battery pack that fits on the end. Upon the actor hitting the trigger, the gun throws interactive light out the front. When the “plasma” is empty, a red light goes on and, as the gun recharges, the lights turn blue again.

Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland had to dress almost 400 extras in 1964-era attire for the Hall of Invention and Unisphere Plaza World’s Fair scenes.

The 1964 jet pack designed for Young Frank (Thomas Robinson) was a feat of engineering and imagination. It has 40 different fasteners on the backpack frame and has mounts for Electrolux vacuum cleaners on the sides. Control cables operate the small shovels on the back. Cables run through the jet pack onto the handles so the actor can control it. The jet pack was fastened to a plate and could be easily removed from the frame so that Thomas did not have to walk around with 20 lbs. of jet pack on his back between takes.

For the 1964 World’s Fair, the Walt Disney Company created three rides, the It’s a Small World ride being the one we remember most. Though quaint by today’s standards, back in 1964, Carousel of Progress and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln were revolutionary in how they used robotics and ride technology to create a thematically rich experience.

Exclusive Interview With Raffey Cassidy (Athena)

We also had the opportunity to interview Raffey Cassidy, a young and talented actress, who plays Athena, a robot child and hero of Tomorrowland alongside George Clooney. Raffey Cassidy underwent training in swimming, gymnastics, wirework and martial arts, which was the primary focus of her training as her character kicks some serious butt in the movie.

During the interview she shares some insight on what it is like to play the superhero, preparation for her mysterious character and hopes for the future:

What is the best part of playing a Athena?

Raffey Cassidy: Playing Athena was fun. She is very intelligent, smart and mysterious and doesn’t show emotions. The best part of the role was doing all her stunts and so many fight scenes. Scenes that went back and forth.

What was the most difficult part of playing role?

Raffey Cassidy: Athena has no background to go off of so I got to create it. Also, not showing emotions.

Favorite scene in the movie?

Raffey Cassidy: The Eiffel Tower scene was my favorite.

Favorite Stunt?

Raffey Cassidy: The Flip

What do you want people to take away from movie?

Raffey Cassidy: I would like people to think about the future and about the way they interact with each other and communicate with each other. We need to interact face to face more and less with technology.

Favorite Disneyland Ride in Tomorrowland?

Raffey Cassidy: Space Mountain

Favorite Disney ride of all time?

Raffey Cassidy: California Scream

Favorite Hobbies?

Raffey Cassidy: I love creating special effects. scars on the face and arms. I create a lot of special effects.

I recently interviewed the cast of Tomorrowland. The movie is going to be in theaters on May 22. Tomorrowland movie is based on a shared destiny of former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity. They embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as “Tomorrowland.” What they must do there changes the world—and them— forever.

1. Question: My understanding is that this film really originates from a series of discussions you had with the people at Disney. What were those discussion? How did this film come about and how did television critic from Entertainment Weekly, Mr. Jeff Jensen, became involved in the film?

Damon Lindelof: I was having a meeting with Sean Bailey, who is the president of production at Disney and we were talking about the Marvel movies, of which we’re both fans. He said they had a number of fantasy princess movies in the pipeline at Disney, but wondered what else a Disney movie should be. I said to him, “I don’t know what it’s about, but I would see a movie called Tomorrowland.” And that was the beginning of this whole adventure. I’ve always been really interested in the future and I kind of feel like all the movies that I’ve been exposed to over the course of the last 20-30 years have shown me a future that I don’t really want to be living in. it’s cool to watch, but teenagers trying to kill other teenagers, or robots eradicating mankind, or you know, apocalyptic wastelands, albeit populated by Charlize Theron, are all great.

2. Question: Jeff what was your response when Damon called and said he wanted you to join this project?

Jeff Jensen: It was definitely a little crazy and humbling too. It was a lot of fun to work with someone whose storytelling you really admire, and to get in a room with them. The idea that he pitched to me was just really engaging. We groove on the same stuff, but the whole idea of a movie that kind of riffed on and looked at the different ways that we looked at the future then and now, to research the history of futurism and science fiction, and let that inform a story, that was super-fun, and to really build out the story. But also thought I knew a lot about how movies are made and TV shows are made. And this was a real learning experience in how much I didn’t know.

3. Question: Tim, it’s a different role for you, compared to some of the other dads that you’ve played. I’m thinking specifically of Friday Night Lights. You’re much more nurturing and supportive here, which is great. You, yourself, have three daughters. It must have felt oddly comfortable to play this part.

Tim McGraw: That was much more true to life. I was thinking of the scene where we were shooting in the car, Britt and I had a long conversation in the car. We were talking about life and talking about guys. It was pretty reminiscent of some of the conversations that I’ve had with my daughters. In fact, I had to be upset in that scene and I had just been upset with my daughter.

4. Question: Britt and Raffey: The dynamics between the two of you in the film are definitely not what you’d expect. The person who looks younger might not be. How would you two describe the relationship between the two characters?

Britt Robertson: Raffey played Mom a lot, especially with George and I, you know? She was constantly just trying to keep us focused and funny enough, that’s how she is in life too. She’s so professional and so focused herself, you know. I oftentimes would look over and be like, “Yeah, okay, right, this is what we’re doing. This is what we’re doing.” But we had such fun together. We spent a lot of time together, just between stunt training and then obviously filming the movie. So I think our dynamic off-screen probably helped a lot of our chemistry on-screen as well.

Raffey Cassidy: The relationship between Casey and Athena is quite friendly, because Athena just wants to get Casey and Frank together, to try and save the world.

5. Question: George, at the heart of this movie is a really big idea, which I think is powerful. You’ve made a lot of bold films in your career, particularly the more political ones. But I think this one is right up there, as far as being quite bold. Do you see it that way?

George Clooney: Putting me in a summer movie is a very bold thought.

George Clooney: First and foremost, I think it is a really bold thing for Disney to be willing to do a film that isn’t a sequel and isn’t a comic book, to really invest in a summer film of this sort of ilk. The fun part of it, to me, was when you read the screenplay, although I have to say, just so we’re clear, when Damon and Brad showed up at my house, they said, “We’ve got a part that we’ve written for you.” And then I opened up the description of the character and it’s a 55-year-old has-been, and I’m kind of going, “Hang on a minute, which part am I reading for?”

Jeff Jensen: It said genius, by the way. It said genius.

George Clooney: It said former genius, boy genius, who has gotten bitter in his old age. I just loved the idea of, you know, we live in a world right now where you turn on your television set and it’s rough out there. And it’s not fun. And it can really wear on you after a period of time. And we see generations now feeling as if it’s sort of hopeless, in a way, and what I love about it is it sort of speaks to the idea that your future is not preordained and predestined, and that if you’re involved, a single voice can make a difference and I believe in that. I happen to believe in it, and so I loved the theme or the idea that, you know, there’s still so much that we can all do to make things better. And I liked it. I thought it was great.

6. Question: George Clooney. It picks up somewhat on what you were just talking about. First of all, this is the summer movie with a serious subtext, and you get to be the grumpy cynic, which I feel I am too. Growing up in the Cold War, that’s who we are. And yet at the same time, you’re searching for hope, and I’m curious if that arc reflects the struggle that you personally have, and whether you relate to that in this particular context of this movie.

George Clooney: I grew up during the Cold War period and I always found that although we always thought that the world would end in a nuclear holocaust at some point, everybody was pretty hopeful. There were an awful lot of things going on that you felt you could change. I grew up in an era where the voice, the power of the one, really did feel as if it mattered. We had the riots that are reminiscent of the things we are looking at today, but we had the Civil Rights Movement and we had Vietnam. We had the Women’s Rights Movements and all those things that you felt you could actually have some part of changing and actually, if you look at the things that changed in the 1960s and early 1970s, individual voices did make a huge difference. It wasn’t governments doing it, necessarily.

I didn’t ever have that great disappointment in mankind. I always felt like it was going to work out in the end and I still feel that way. What I loved about the film was that it reminds you that young people don’t wake up, they’re not born and start out their lives cynical, or angry, or bigoted. You have to be taught all of those things. I watch the world now and think I see really good signs from young people out there and I feel as if the world will get better. I’ve always been an optimist. I’ve been a realist, but I’ve been an optimist about it and I really related to the film because I thought, you know, Brad and Damon want to tell a story that’s an entertainment, because first and foremost, it has to be an entertainment. But it is hopeful, and I’ve always felt that way myself.